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Peru’s interim president defers $3.5 billion fighter jet purchase to the next government
Balcázar said the incoming government should decide the purchase as Peru weighs bids from Lockheed Martin, Saab and Dassault Aviation.
- On Friday, President José María Balcázar deferred the $3.5 billion purchase of 24 F-16 Block 70 fighters to his successor, telling RPP radio the incoming leader will have "full legitimacy to decide" on the acquisition.
- Balcázar, elected in February as Peru's eighth president in a decade, cited the transitional government's limited mandate; lawmakers have frequently used "permanent moral incapacity" to remove leaders in the Andean nation.
- Peru previously allocated $3.5 billion for the 24 jets, with planned domestic borrowing of $2 billion in 2025 and $1.5 billion in 2026. Competitive bids include the United States-based Lockheed Martin, Swedish Saab, and French Dassault Aviation.
- Conservative Keiko Fujimori secured a spot on the June 7 presidential runoff ballot. The winner taking office on July 28 will inherit the defense procurement decision.
- Deferring the decision creates medium-term uncertainty for defense planners and contractors regarding contract awards and procurement timelines. The next administration must now determine whether to proceed with the fighter jet purchase amid competing fiscal priorities.
19 Articles
19 Articles
Associated Press News
Peru’s interim president defers $3.5 billion fighter jet purchase to the next government
Peruvian interim President José María Balcázar has decided to leave the purchase of 24 fighter jets for the country's military to his successor.
The U.S. Ambassador to Peru, Bernie Navarro, this Friday issued a warning to the Peruvian government...
Military, politicians and businessmen demanded that Peru buy the 24 F-16 fighter bombers that for $3.5 billion the United States (US) offers us.They refused that President José Balcázar has left the next government, installed on July 28, the decision to acquire such fighter planes that are expected to bind our country for between 40 and 50 years to the supplier.President Balcázar said that the US ambassador, Bernie Navarro, “is misinformed” when…
The American Chamber of Commerce of Peru (AmCham Peru), by way of a statement, added to the criticisms against President Balcázar's decision not to sign the contract for the acquisition of F-16 aircraft.The union recalled that this project was not improvised, but that “it responds to an institutional requirement of the Armed Forces and that it has been worked for more than a year under the corresponding channels”.For AmCham Peru, which groups mo…
The United States launched an veiled criticism against Peru after the Andean nation cancelled the signing ceremony of the contract
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